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Insects Carolina Mantis Mayfly

I l l i n o i s Carolina

elephant stag

black borer (adults and nymphs) mantisfly stick

lady beetle stink bug stonefly ()

horse fly bug bot fly prairie

robber fly katydid syrphid fly

Order Ephemeroptera mayfly List Coleoptera black locust borer click beetle poster was made possible by: nsects and their relatives () make up nearly 80 percent of the known species. Scientists elephant lady beetle Illinois Department of Natural Resources Order stonefly currently estimate that 5 to 15 million species of insects exist. In contrast, 5,000 species of are Order birdwing grasshopper Division of Education found on our planet. In Illinois, we have more than 20,000 species of insects, and many more likely katydid Illinois Survey I Order large milkweed bug Illinois State Museum occur, as yet undetected in our state! The scientific study of insects is known as . Entomologists stink bug Order Diptera bot fly study insects for many reasons, including their incredible number of species and their wide variety of sizes, horse fly colors, shapes, and lifestyles. The 24 species depicted on this poster were selected by Michael R. Jeffords of robber fly syrphid fly Order Homoptera leafhopper the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Natural History Survey, to represent the variety of prairie cicada Order Phasmida walking stick insects occurring in our state. Order mantisfly Order widow skimmer Photographs © Order alderfly Text: Michael R. Jeffords, IDNR, Illinois Natural History Survey Michael R. Jeffords Order ichneumon wasp What Is An ? Conservation Glossary

the most posterior of the insect’s three divisions Insects are arthropods. As such, they While insects in Illinois appear to be doing quite well, very an , such as an insect, , , or have paired, jointed , a segmented little information is available about them compared to research myriapod, with a segmented external covering and jointed limbs body, and an external covering, the on other , such as plants or . As of 2004, five insects a hard organic compound that makes up the exoskeleton. The exoskeleton provides are on the threatened or endangered list for Illinois. The insects are complete a change in form in which the stages of development are , attachment points for all internal , , and adult structures. Insects have several traits that three species of prairie-inhabiting skippers (), a noctuid compound an eye composed of many individual -receptive parts, each separate them from the other arthropods, , and the Hine’s emerald . All are on the threatened with a lens however, including the presence of three or endangered list because of . Only six species entomology/entomologist the study of insects/person who studies insects body divisions and six legs. of insects are known to be extirpated from Illinois, with a single extirpated completely eliminated from a place; exterminated An insect's body is composed of species, a once found only on the passenger pigeon forb a herbaceous plant that is not a grass three main parts: the , , and (Ectopistes migratorius), being globally extinct. The pigeon became an that eats plants abdomen (see diagram). The head extinct, taking the louse with it! Many more insects likely should an organism from which a parasite receives contains most of the sensory structures, be listed as threatened or endangered, but we have no information incomplete (simple) metamorphosis a change in form in which the stages of insect development are such as the , antennae, and about them. Overall, Illinois probably has more species of insects egg, nymph, and adult mouthparts. Mouthparts differ in size larva/larval the immature insect stage that comes after egg and before pupa and shape, depending upon their now than 300 ago. Why? Because activities have during complete metamorphosis function. Some insects, for example, brought in many species from other countries and other parts of mandible a jaw that moves from side to side have piercing-and-sucking mouthparts the United States. Many of these metamorphosis a change in form for obtaining fluids from plants or species are very familiar as mimic/ to imitate or closely resemble another living thing/practice . Other insects have chewing they have become some of our of mimicking mouthparts for prey or plant parts. worst species: gypsy moth, molt/molting to shed the skin or exoskeleton Still others have sponging mouthparts Asian long-horned beetle, a sweet secretion from a plant for absorbing fluids and other substances. Chinese soybean , European nymph an immature form of an insect; the stage between egg and adult in The middle part of the body is the corn borer, and . incomplete metamorphosis thorax. It houses the locomotor organic characteristic of or derived from living things structures: three pairs of legs, and in ovipositor a structure through which the female insect lays many insects, one or two pairs of . predator/predaceous animal that feeds on other animals/feeding on other animals The abdomen contains the organs used pupate leave the larval stage and enter the pupa stage in and egg laying, , simple eye/ocellus/ocelli (pl.) a type of invertebrate eye that is used to detect light and breathing. thorax the middle body division of an insect, which the legs and wings

Insect Growth and Development Insect Facts

All insects are covered by an exoskeleton. This exoskeleton is made of chitin (KITE-n), a very hard substance. Because the exoskeleton is rigid and strong, it protects the insect against the elements and against its enemies. The exoskeleton is also the main support for the insect's body and the base for muscle attachment and movement. Although the rigidity of the exoskeleton is beneficial to the insect, it also forms an unexpandable prison. If the insect is to grow, it must cast off its old exoskeleton. Before the old exoskeleton is shed, a newer and softer one forms just underneath the old one. When the old exoskeleton splits, the insect climbs out and expands to its The Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Illinois Natural History Survey new size while the new exoskeleton is still soft and flexible. The new exoskeleton soon hardens and is again effective protection. This process of shedding and replacing the exoskeleton is called molting. has one of the largest and most important insect collections in the world, with Each time an insect molts, visible changes occur. This growth process is called metamorphosis. The changes in the insect's body may be slight, and the feeding habits of the young insect and the adult may be similar. more than 7 million specimens! When that is the case, the insect is said to undergo incomplete metamorphosis, with egg, nymph, and adult stages. The development of a grasshopper is an example of incomplete metamorphosis. As some insects develop, however, they undergo great changes both externally and internally. changes can also occur in feeding habits. These insects, like the June beetle and house fly, are said to undergo complete metamorphosis. In The largest insect in Illinois is the cecropia moth, with a of about complete metamorphosis, development occurs through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. For example, the house fly egg hatches to a larval form, known as a . The maggot eats almost continuously and molts several 6 inches. times. All growth occurs during this stage. Then the maggot molts to the pupal stage, during which great cellular changes occur. The adult fly emerges from the pupa, finds a mate, and reproduces.

There are at least three times as many species of insects as there are species of all other animals combined.

A British entomologist estimated that 1,000,000,000,000,000 (a quadrillion) insects are alive at every instant. Insects outnumber people by at least a million to one, and these million insects together weigh 20 times as much as an average human.

Why Are Insects So Successful? Insects range in size from about 1/100 of an inch to 13 inches in length, and from 1/50 of an inch to nearly 12 inches in wingspread.

Most insects have two kinds of eyes: two or three simple eyes (ocelli) located More than one million living insect species are named, and countless more unnamed species exist. Why have insects proved to be so successful? One reason is their small size, which lets them occupy habitats too tiny for on the upper part of the head; and a pair of compound eyes on the side of other animals. In addition, their size allows them to survive and reproduce on small amounts of . Another reason for their success is their short life . An insect can utilize habitats or food resources that are available the head. for only a brief time. The success of insects also depends upon their ability to move from unfavorable sites to more favorable sites, often by flying. In addition, insects have a large potential for reproduction: one female gypsy moth, for example, can lay 1,000 eggs; a can lay 2,000 eggs a day, 365 days a , for many years. With these for survival and reproduction, insects are assured a prominent place on . If had the ability to kill all insects and were foolish enough to do so, the Insects play crucial roles in the environment. They feed on a wide variety of plants and animals, help decompose dead organisms, and aid in plant . Insects also are major food resources for other organisms such world as we know it would cease to exist. Humans would likely become extinct. as birds, , mammals, and even other insects. Insects have developed marvelous adaptations that increase their chances for survival in the world. They have some extraordinary ways to hide from their enemies or to appear to be something that they are not The grasshopper, an inhabitant of rock ledges in southern Illinois, was (protective resemblance and mimicry). Both avenues can help insects avoid being eaten or help them capture prey. Insects rely on various other forms of deception to avoid becoming a predator's next meal. The “classic” case once thought to occur nowhere else in the world. It has now been found in of deception, called , involves the monarch and butterflies. In Batesian mimicry, a species or group of species of palatable (good-tasting) insects mimic the pattern of another species that is toxic or Missouri and Indiana, also. otherwise a bad choice for a meal by a predator. Educated predators (those that have had a bad experience with the unpalatable species) thus avoid all insects that resemble the noxious species. The viceroy butterfly is very similar in appearance to the . The monarch, though, contains toxins in its body that make it unpalatable. The viceroy has none of the toxins and could be readily eaten by predators. If a predator has The pipevine swallowtail, a toxic butterfly found in Illinois, is mimicked by attempted to eat a monarch, though, it will generally avoid anything that looks like one, and thus the viceroy gains some protection. several other species of butterflies and even a day-flying moth! When several different kinds of insects share a similar pattern, they may all be protected. For example, black-and-yellow stripes are usually associated with and , which have a potent weapon (stinging). There are many insects with black-and-yellow stripes, however, that are completely harmless. Predators soon learn to avoid all insects that have this same general pattern. This type of mimicry is called Mullerian mimicry. Some scientists think that viceroy butterflies also have a toxin they get from eating willow . If so, the viceroy is actually a Mullerian mimic of the monarch!

Species Descriptions Agency Resources

ORDER EPHEMEROPTERA ORDER ORTHOPTERA bot fly — The bot fly is a parasite of small rodents ORDER PHASMIDA mayfly — A mayfly nymph is aquatic and can take katydid — Most katydids are green and blend in and rabbits. Its larva develops just under the skin of walking stick — The female walking stick is More information about insects is available from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources several years to develop into an adult. The adult with their surroundings. The unusual individual the host animal, where it chews a small hole bigger than the male. Walking sticks feed on a (IDNR). Illinois Natural History Survey and Illinois State Museum researchers study insect distributions lives only a day or two and does not feed. shown on the front of this poster, however, has a through the skin for air. When mature, the larva variety of different trees. When laying eggs, the and population levels and maintain a research collection of insects. They also investigate the economic bright yellow color. It probably did not survive chews its way out and pupates in the . Adult female simply drops them to the ground. effects of insects, make recommendations about controlling insect populations, and offer information to ORDER COLEOPTERA long, since predators could find it easily. bot are rarely seen. the public. The Division of Natural Heritage monitors population health of nongame species and offers elephant stag beetle — One of Illinois’ most ORDER NEUROPTERA and implements management options. The Division of Education provides educational materials on a impressive , the male has large mandibles birdwing grasshopper — This grasshopper can fly robber fly — The robber fly is a fearsome mantisfly — Mantisflies resemble preying mantids variety of natural resources topics, including insects, and offers the of Illinois CD-ROM series that are used for fighting with other males during long distances and feeds on a variety of plants. The predator in open country, particularly sand prairies. because both have front legs used for grabbing prey. for educators. Illinois and Butterflies, a poster available from the Division of Education, illustrates the brief mating season. The larval stage of this female deposits her eggs (as many as 25) in soil, It ambushes and overpowers its prey, piercing it Larval mantisflies are parasites of and several common Illinois lepidopterans and is a good companion to this Illinois Insects poster. insect lives in decaying logs. An adult feeds only on sometimes placing them more than one inch deep. with a sharp beak. egg cases. liquids, such as sap oozing from wounded trees. Carolina mantis — The Carolina mantis is the crane fly — Some crane flies inhabit sandstone ORDER ODONATA black locust borer — This insect mimics a only native mantis in Illinois. It has two color ledges in southern Illinois. Each spring, males widow skimmer — The widow skimmer is a stinging wasp. Its larva is a borer in black forms: brown and bright green. These voracious gather in masses, called leks, to attract females. dragonfly and, as such, spends much of its time locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) trees. predators prefer grassland and old field habitats. A female enters the lek and usually emerges with near water. Adults are predators of other insects; Illinois Department of Natural Resources her mate protecting her in a cage made from his larvae feed on small insects and other small lady beetle — A native lady beetle is both a ORDER HEMIPTERA legs. After mating, she lays her eggs on damp . Division of Education Illinois Natural History Survey predator and an herbivore. When prey is not large milkweed bug — The large milkweed bug dripways on the rock. The larvae crawl upward into One Natural Resources Way 1816 South Oak Street Springfield, IL 62702 Champaign, IL 61820 available, this insect will eat from a variety of uses its piercing-and-sucking mouthparts to feed on the surrounding to complete development. ORDER MEGALOPTERA (217) 524-4126 (217) 333-6880 plants, including corn. Lady beetles overwinter in milkweed pods in late summer and fall. Its bright alderfly — are predators in both their lar- http://dnr.state.il.us http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/ masses in hollow trees and under logs. color indicates to predators that it is toxic from horse fly — The female horse fly feeds on . val and adult stages. Larvae generally live in good- [email protected] feeding on milkweed. She has slashing mouthparts to open a wound from quality sand- or rock-bottomed streams. click beetle — Click beetles live in the soil and as which she can lap up blood. Males feed mostly on Division of Natural Heritage Illinois State Museum One Natural Resources Way 502 South Spring Street larvae feed on plant , often taking several years wheel bug — This predaceous insect captures its nectar. Larvae are predators in shallow water or ORDER HYMENOPTERA Springfield, IL 62702 Springfield, IL 62706 to develop. If a click beetle should get turned upside prey with its front legs and pierces it with a beak. moist soil. ichneumon wasp — Ichneumon wasps are (217) 785-8774 (217) 782-0061 down, it has a unique mechanism that enables it to are injected into the victim, and the parasites of wood-boring larvae. In the http://dnr.state.il.us/conservation/naturalheritage/ http://www.museum.state.il.us/ fling its body into the air to turn back over. partially digested tissues are sucked out. ORDER HOMOPTERA photograph on the front of this poster, you can leafhopper — The leafhopper feeds on plant sap by see a female drilling into an oak tree with her ORDER PLECOPTERA stink bug — A stink bug can blend in with its using piercing-and-sucking mouthparts. Many ovipositor, to lay an egg on the sawfly larva stonefly — The stonefly’s nymph form is aquatic. surroundings so well that it is often nearly invisible. species of are pests in Illinois. burrowing inside the tree. Another wasp waits It feeds on organic matter or is predaceous. Many It stalks its prey and pierces it with a sharp beak. her turn species of stoneflies do not feed as adults. The prairie cicada — The prairie cicada is the largest presence of stoneflies in a water body may indicate ORDER DIPTERA and rarest cicada in Illinois. It feeds as a nymph on Equal opportunity to participate in programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and those funded by good . syrphid fly — Syrphid flies are mimics of bees and the roots of prairie grasses and forbs. It is rare in the U.S. and Wildlife Service and other agencies is available to all individuals regardless of race, , national ori- wasps. Even though they are harmless, their bold Illinois because prairies are rare. gin, disability, , religion or other non-merit factors. If you believe you have been discriminated against, contact the black-and-yellow striping and the buzzing noise funding source’s civil rights office and/or the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, they produce makes them resemble many stinging Springfield, IL 62702-1271; 217/785-0067; TTY 217/782-9175. This information may be provided in an alternative format if required. Contact the DNR Clearinghouse at 217/782-7498 for assistance. Printed by the authority of the State of insects. Illinois PRT XXXXXX - 10M - 4/07 • IISG07-539

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